Constant density heat exchanger and system for energy conversion

Abstract

A constant density heat exchanger is provided. The constant density heat exchanger includes a housing extending between a first end and a second end and defining a chamber having an inlet and an outlet. A first flow control device is positioned at the inlet of the chamber and movable between an open position in which a working fluid is permitted into the chamber and a closed position in which the working fluid is prevented from entering the chamber. A second flow control device is positioned at the outlet of the chamber and movable between an open position in which the working fluid is permitted to exit the chamber and a closed position in which the working fluid is prevented from exiting the chamber. A heat exchange fluid imparts thermal energy to the volume of working fluid held at constant density within the chamber by the first and second control devices.

We claim: 
     
       1. A constant density heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing extending between a first end and a second end and defining a chamber having an inlet and an outlet; 
 a first plate positioned at the first end of the housing and rotatable about an axis of rotation, the first plate defines a first port that, when aligned with the inlet of the chamber, allows a working fluid to flow into the inlet of the chamber; and 
 a second plate positioned at the second end of the housing and rotatable about the axis of rotation, the second plate defines a second port that, when aligned with the outlet of the chamber, allows the working fluid to flow out of the outlet of the chamber, and 
 wherein the first plate and the second plate are rotatable about the axis of rotation so as to hold a volume of the working fluid at constant density as a heat source imparts thermal energy thereto, and 
 wherein the first plate and the second plate are rotatable about the axis of rotation in unison such that the first port defined by the first plate is aligned with the second port defined by the second plate along a circumferential direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are rotatable about the axis of rotation so that the first port defined by the first plate is aligned with the inlet of the chamber only when the second port is aligned with the outlet of the chamber. 
     
     
       3. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is one of a plurality of chambers defined by the housing, each of the plurality of chambers having an inlet at the first end of the housing and an outlet at the second end of the housing. 
     
     
       4. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of chambers are arranged in a circular array as viewed from a perspective along an axial direction defined by the constant density heat exchanger. 
     
     
       5. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein the housing is cylindrically shaped, and wherein the heat source is positioned radially inward of the plurality of working chambers. 
     
     
       6. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first plate defines a first port that, when aligned with the inlet of a given one of the plurality of chambers, allows the working fluid to flow into the inlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers, and 
 the second plate defines a second port that, when aligned with the outlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers, allows the working fluid to flow out of the outlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers, and 
 wherein the first plate and the second plate are rotatable about the axis of rotation in unison such that the first port defined by the first plate is aligned with the inlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers only when the second port is aligned with the outlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers. 
 
     
     
       7. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is cylindrically shaped, and wherein the heat source annularly surrounds the cylindrically shaped housing. 
     
     
       8. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the constant density heat exchanger defines an axial direction, and wherein the housing extends between the first end and the second end along the axial direction, and wherein the chamber extends from the first end to the second end of the housing along the axial direction, and wherein the housing has a first axial face at the first end and a second axial face at the second end, and wherein the first axial face defines the inlet of the chamber and the second axial face defines the outlet of the chamber. 
     
     
       9. A constant density heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing extending between a first end and a second end and defining a plurality of chambers that are circumferentially arranged; 
 a first plate positioned at the first end of the housing, the first plate defining a first port; 
 a second plate positioned at the second end of the housing, the second plate defining a second port aligned with the first port; and 
 a controller configured to:
 cause the first plate and the second plate to rotate in unison about an axis of rotation relative to the housing so that the first port and the second port sequentially align with the plurality of chambers one after another, and 
 wherein, when the first port and the second port align with a given one of the plurality of chambers, the first port and the second port simultaneously align respectively with an inlet and an outlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers to allow a first volume of working fluid to enter into the given one of the plurality of chambers through the first port and a second volume of working fluid heated at constant density to exit the given one of the plurality of chambers through the second port. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the controller causes the first plate and the second plate to rotate so that the first port and the second port align with the given one of the plurality of chambers for a predetermined open time. 
     
     
       11. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein when the first port and the second port are aligned with the given one of the plurality of chambers, a volume of working fluid is held in at least one other chamber of the plurality of chambers between the first plate and the second plate. 
     
     
       12. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein a heat source applies heat to the volume of working fluid held at constant density within the at least one other chamber of the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
       13. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of chambers are cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
       14. A method of operating a constant density heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 rotating a first plate and a second plate about an axis of rotation relative to a housing defining a plurality of chambers that are circumferentially arranged so that a first port defined by the first plate and a second port defined by the second plate sequentially align with the plurality of chambers, and 
 wherein, when the first port and the second port align with a given one of the plurality of chambers, the first port and the second port simultaneously align respectively with an inlet and an outlet of the given one of the plurality of chambers to allow a first volume of working fluid to enter into the given one of the plurality of chambers through the first port and a second volume of working fluid heated at constant density to exit the given one of the plurality of chambers through the second port. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein when the first plate and the second plate are rotated in unison about the axis of rotation. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first port and the second port align with the given one of the plurality of chambers for a predetermined open time. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein when the first port and the second port are aligned with the given one of the plurality of chambers, a volume of working fluid is held in at least one other chamber of the plurality of chambers between the first plate and the second plate. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method comprises:
 applying heat to the volume of working fluid held at constant density within the at least one other chamber of the plurality of chambers. 
 
     
     
       19. A constant density heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing extending between a first end and a second end and defining a plurality of chambers, each chamber of the plurality of chambers having an inlet at the first end of the housing and an outlet at the second end of the housing; 
 a first plate positioned at the first end of the housing and rotatable about an axis of rotation such that, when a first port of the first plate is aligned with a given inlet of one of the plurality of chambers, the first port allows a volume of working fluid to flow into the given inlet; and 
 a second plate positioned at the second end of the housing and rotatable about the axis of rotation such that, when a second port of the second plate is aligned with a given outlet of one of the plurality of chambers, the second port allows the volume of working fluid, which has been held at constant density as a heat source imparts thermal energy thereto, to flow out of the given outlet. 
 
     
     
       20. The constant density heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are rotatable about the axis of rotation in unison such that the first port defined by the first plate is aligned with the second port defined by the second plate along a circumferential direction.